Foods To Lower Cholesterol Levels
Foods to lower cholesterol
Diet rich in fiber, complex carbohydrates with low glycemic index are highly considered as foods to lower cholesterol in blood. Variety of foods are available, some of them are:
Legumes
Legumes are a great source of soluble fiber and plant-based protein.
Eating legumes and pulses can help to lower your ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol
Eating legumes can lower cholesterol and blood pressure, which are two risk factors for cardiovascular disease
Avocados can lower cholesterol
Avocados are full of healthy, beneficial fats that help to keep you full and satiated
It can reduce total cholesterol levels significantly.
It helps in reducing triglycerides LDL cholesterol
Increases HDL (the good) cholesterol .
NUTS
Nuts are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids can help reduce your LDL levels, play an important role in regulating cholesterol.
Regularly eating nuts is linked to lower levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and triglycerides
It helps in improve the health of the lining of your arteries
FATTY FISH
Fish is the primary dietary source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids helps in lowering the triglyceride levels
Salmon is a nutrient-dense food that can help in raising good cholesterol levels.
RED WINE
Red wines helps to lower the bad cholesterol
Raises HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol)
Reduces the formation of blood clots
Helps to prevent artery damage caused by high levels of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol)
DARK CHOCOLATE & COCCO
Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, antioxidants that help lower LDL levels.
cocoa powder helps to increase HDL (good cholesterol) and lowered total LDL (bad cholesterol)
Consuming dark chocolate can improve several important risk factors for heart disease.
FRUITS & BERRIES
Pears and apples have a lot of pectin, which is a type of fiber that can lower cholesterol.
Black raspberries and strawberries have been found to lower cholesterol in people who are obese or have metabolic syndrome
Consuming berries helped decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol
GARLIC
Eating raw garlic on an empty stomach can help in reducing the cholesterol level.
Consumption of garlic has been shown to decrease LDL and triglyceride levels.
Aged garlic supplement can prevent the clogging of arteries and improve heart health
Green vegetables are best foods to lower cholesterol
Most vegetables are high in fiber and low in calories.
Some vegetables are particularly high in pectin, the cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber.
Pectin-rich vegetables also include okra, eggplants, carrots and potatoes
DARK LEAFY GREENS
Dark leafy greens may also help reduce cholesterol levels by binding to bile acids and making your body excrete more cholesterol
Greens are low in fat, high in dietary fiber, and rich in folic acid, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, and phytochemicals. One extra serving per day can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by 11%.
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Olive oil lowers the levels of total blood cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides.
Natural olive oil contains 70% monounsaturated fatty acid. As a result, it reduces cholesterol accumulation in the blood and reduces heart problems.
Extra virgin olive oil, which is rich in almost 40 antioxidant chemicals, helps reduce the oxidation effects of LDL cholesterol.
OATS & BARLEY
Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the “bad” cholesterol.
Barley, oatmeal and brown rice have lots of soluble fiber, which has been proven to reduce LDL cholesterol by reducing the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream.
TEA
Both green and black tea can help lower cholesterol levels.
Green tea is prepared from unfermented leaves and black tea from fully fermented leaves of the same plant.
Catechins, a type of antioxidant found in tea, are responsible for its cholesterol-lowering effect